http://www.tysto.com take a deep breath. Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:34:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.tysto.com/2010/03/commentary-48-hrs/ http://www.tysto.com/2010/03/commentary-48-hrs/#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:24:11 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=304 4b2da72047897 4b3831a5825e7 4b3feb1620332 4b64d8d58bfeb 4b677a18639a2 4b788b7c2f084 4b8b30217f7c7 Nick Nolte is a dirty, drunken jerk of a cop who needs Eddie Murphy's help to find a couple of crazy killers loose in San Francisco. I discuss the role of film as a bridge between 1970s cop movies and 1980s cop movies, place it in context with similar films, and examine the unusual structure. I explore how it fits into director Walter Hill's career as well as Nolte's and Murphy's. I pick apart the police procedural aspects, the weak romantic subplots, and the racial themes.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2010/03/commentary-48-hrs/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2010/02/commentary-jumanji/ http://www.tysto.com/2010/02/commentary-jumanji/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:22:16 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=304 4b2da72047897 4b3831a5825e7 4b3feb1620332 4b64d8d58bfeb 4b677a18639a2 4b788b7c2f084 Join me as I deconstruct the movie's theme of game-as-rite-of-passage and the Alan vs Van Pelt conflict; plan to make contingency plans for bad special effects if I write a screenplay; and laugh at the slow rhino. I also analyze the minor character roles, pick apart the rule that someone has to roll a 5 or 8 when there's only one player left to roll the dice, and try to think of a reason to bury a really cool box full of something really cool so children can eventually find it.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2010/02/commentary-jumanji/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2010/02/commentary-iron-man-with-speakeasy/ http://www.tysto.com/2010/02/commentary-iron-man-with-speakeasy/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:34:08 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=304 4b2da72047897 4b3831a5825e7 4b3feb1620332 4b64d8d58bfeb 4b677a18639a2 Join me as I join The Doctor from Speakeasy Commentaries for the second time for a transoceanic fan commentary from two ridiculous movie/comic book geeks. The Doctor explains the back story and history of Iron Man in the comic books (the storyline "Demon in a Bottle" is the one where Tony confronts his alcoholism). I explain the connection to Ozzy Osbourne (Ozzy sang for Black Sabbath and did the song "Iron Man"). We discuss Robert Downey, Jr. and Jon Favreau's other work and arrest records. However, we are both very excited by the prospect of Iron Man 2, as well as an Avengers movie, especially with Samuel L Jackson.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2010/02/commentary-iron-man-with-speakeasy/feed/ 1 http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-back-to-the-future/ http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-back-to-the-future/#comments Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:30:50 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=304 4b2da72047897 4b3831a5825e7 4b3feb1620332 4b64d8d58bfeb Michael J Fox leaps into the past in a nuclear-powered Delorean in Steven Spielberg's Robert Zemeckis's 1985 time travel movie to end all time travel movies (except for the two sequels and the cartoon series). I discuss the nature of time travel, point out the links to other films (like 1960's The Time Machine), and blather on at some length about the cars and the history of rock and roll from 1951 to 1955.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-back-to-the-future/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-indiana-jones-the-temple-of-doom/ http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-indiana-jones-the-temple-of-doom/#comments Sat, 16 Jan 2010 12:55:51 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=304 4b2da72047897 4b3831a5825e7 4b3feb1620332 Join me as I analyze the prequel adventure set in Asia, land of mystery and peril! I compare it to the first and third movies and try to ignore the fourth. I discuss my surprising affection for both Short Round and Willie. I marvel at Lucas and Spielberg's ability to get child torture into a teen adventure film. (The secret: have a child also do the torturing!) I deconstruct the episodic nature of the film, which reveals the dullness of the middle part where they're just trudging thru jungle, playing cards and getting scared by animals. ]]> http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-indiana-jones-the-temple-of-doom/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-thunderball/ http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-thunderball/#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:18:46 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=304 4b2da72047897 4b3831a5825e7 Join me as I take apart the fourth of the Bond films. I take the story apart, questioning why no one else notices the clues in the photos all the double-0 agents get, how weird and kind of pointless it is that Bond had a fight with the guy Blofeld hired to deliver his audio taped demands, and how weird and kind of pointless it is that Largo hooked up with the sister of the guy he recruited to steal the nuclear bombs. And I compare the film to the book and somewhat to the later non-Eon remake Never Say Never Again.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2010/01/commentary-thunderball/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/qui-gon-jinn-vs-abraham-lincoln/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/qui-gon-jinn-vs-abraham-lincoln/#comments Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:51:40 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=309 Quick: name two of the tallest and most influential people in history/fiction who were forced to confront slavery and the threat of the destruction of their civilization and who had beards. You thought of Abraham Lincoln and Qui-Gon Jinn, didn't you?]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/qui-gon-jinn-vs-abraham-lincoln/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/commentary-mega-shark-vs-giant-octopus/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/commentary-mega-shark-vs-giant-octopus/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:57:15 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=304 4b2da72047897 Join me as I watch this SyFy channel video nasty for the very first time and marvel at the fake buttons, Ed Wood sets, and hot scientist-on-scientist action. I sing a little Debbie Gibson and call Lorenzo Lamas "Fernando Lamas" a couple of times (they're father and son).]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/commentary-mega-shark-vs-giant-octopus/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/commentary-die-hard/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/commentary-die-hard/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:57:15 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=304 Join me as I take on the greatest '80s action movie of all. Bruce Willis gets the crap beaten out of him as New York cop John McClane. I discuss the film as a chess match and compare it to the other Die Hard films and other action films of the era and the eras before and after. I examine why parts of the film are terrible despite the whole being a work of unparalleled genius. And I mock the Eurotrash bad guys from time to time and attempt to straighten out the "Shoot the glass" thing.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/commentary-die-hard/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/50th-commentary-extravaganza-i-robot/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/50th-commentary-extravaganza-i-robot/#comments Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:06:25 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=296 Join me and my guest Scott of Speakeasy Commentaries for the big 50th Tysto audio commentary, wherein we take apart the Will Smith/Isaac Asimov epic I, Robot. We discuss the Asimov stories, action movies in general, the fundamental strengths and flaws of the film, and movies made from Philip K Dick stories, as well as making some Fresh Prince of Bel-Air jokes.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/12/50th-commentary-extravaganza-i-robot/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/80s-action-movie-timeline/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/80s-action-movie-timeline/#comments Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:47:56 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=284 The 1980s was a time when action movies crashed noisily into American culture and seemed to take it over. They created a kind of film that had hardly been seen before; films where cops—for the most part—wreaked holy hell upon bad guys in the name of justice and then made snarky jokes about it.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/80s-action-movie-timeline/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/tysto-film-commentaries/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/tysto-film-commentaries/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:15:17 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=257 http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/tysto-film-commentaries/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/commentary-the-39-steps/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/commentary-the-39-steps/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:52:37 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=252 Alfred Hitchcock presents his first big hit with all the trimmings: the innocent man taking it on the lam, the tough and beautiful blond sparring with him, the quirky humor, and the weird conclusion. Listen as I compare the film to Young and Innocent and North by Northwest, talk about Hitchcock's early work and developing style, and stumble over British currency.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/commentary-the-39-steps/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/commentary-king-kong-1933/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/commentary-king-kong-1933/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:13:01 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=248 The greatest of great apes is trapped by tiny men and dragged to New York, where he runs amok, all for the affections of a dame. Join me as I give a little of the history of the production, point out some of the successes and failings, analyze the structure, and mock the stuntman who gets squashed by a giant ape foot. I frequently compare the film to the 1976 version and occasionally to the 2005 version. This is kind of a quickie commentary with (for the first 15 minutes) my little niece.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/11/commentary-king-kong-1933/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-the-princess-bride/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-the-princess-bride/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:18:26 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=239 William Goldman edits Simon Morgenstern's rollicking adventure of pirates and princesses, swordplay and swamps down to "the good parts," and I put all the missing pieces back in, carefully reconstructing the original narrative, in all its gruesome, graphic, weird, and perverse detail. Join me as I divulge the not-safe-for-children truth. Rated M for mature.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-the-princess-bride/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-the-hidden-fortress/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-the-hidden-fortress/#comments Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:46:38 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=227 Join me in an in-depth analysis of this terrific 1958 samurai film and detailed comparisons to the Star Wars movies it went on to inspire. I detail the connections between the characters and events in this with those in the Star Wars movies, ridicule the central characters, and boldly suggest that this movie needs a villain like Darth Vader.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-the-hidden-fortress/feed/ 2 http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-werewolf-of-london/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-werewolf-of-london/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:21:05 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=218 Join me as I give the first feature-length werewolf movie a gentle ribbing even while admiring its entertaining aspects. I explain the history of werewolf lore and cinema, and I compare it to vampire and Frankenstein stories, not to mention the Hulk. And I disassemble it as a metaphor for serial killers versus a metaphor for puberty.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/10/commentary-werewolf-of-london/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/new-approach/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/new-approach/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:21:58 +0000 Derek Jensen http://www.tysto.com/?p=170 http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/new-approach/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/mystery-science-theater-3000-the-movie/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/mystery-science-theater-3000-the-movie/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:11:31 +0000 Andrew Cole http://www.tysto.com/?p=155 Mike, Crow, and Tom Servo are forced by evil mad scientist Doctor Forrester to sit and watch the 1955 stink bomb This Island Earth. They make the best of it, assaulting the film with every fiber of their beings in this, their grab at the big-screen brass ring. I make the most of it as well, delivering calm, cool analysis all along the way, such as comparing this film to Citizen Kane and explaining why I'm not commentating on Mystery Science Theater 2000 or Mystery Science Theater 1000. Join me.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/mystery-science-theater-3000-the-movie/feed/ 0 http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/how-medicare-destroyed-america-right/ http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/how-medicare-destroyed-america-right/#comments Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:57:19 +0000 BB Rodriguez http://www.tysto.com/?p=143 BB Rodriguez engages in a little Time travel to the mid-1960s to look at the Medicare and Medicaid debate and how that all turned out. Turns out: surprisingly well—and in some surprising ways. Success, alterations, positive side effects, and 130 years of German national health care. Time travel is amazing.]]> http://www.tysto.com/2009/09/how-medicare-destroyed-america-right/feed/ 0